The Voices Within

August 1, 2016
Academic psychologist Fernyhough (Pieces of Light), whose previous fiction and nonfiction works have explored ideas of memory and consciousness, here dives deeply into “what it is like to inhabit our own minds.” Fernyhough proposes the theory of “dialogic thinking,” explaining that “focusing on the voices in our heads as internal dialogues” can help us understand our inner lives in new ways. Citing published experiments, his own anecdotal experiences, and religious and literary texts, he makes a thought-provoking case not only for his theory, but also for the idea that although “inner speech” requires language, it functions outside of linguistics—it unifies the brain in “a way not specific to any sensory channel.” Though the book is not about creativity per se, one of its highlights is its fascinating insight into the process of artistic creation, particularly writing. In another high point, the narrative gently prods readers into a wider and more empathetic view of pathologies such as aural hallucinations. Fernyhough’s book is a valuable addition to the literature surrounding the unending human quest to understand the location—and the creation—of the self. Agent: George Lucas, Inkwell Management.

From Joan of Arc to Brian Wilson, throughout history, people have reported hearing voices in their heads. But where do they come from?Fernyhough (Psychology/Durham Univ.; Pieces of Light: How the New Science of Memory Illuminates the Stories We Tell About Our Pasts, 2013, etc.) examines the phenomenon of "inner voices," which manifests in two broad components: the more or less ordinary business of talking to oneself and the more fraught existence of voices inside one's head. "For many reasons," he writes, "inner speech is the predominant mode in which we communicate with ourselves, just as external speech is our default channel for interacting with others." The fact that we verbally direct ourselves to act, and that we do so in language rather than some other form of symbol, is of interest in and of itself, the more so because inner speech can interact with the brain in what would seem to be contradictory modes--the brain at rest, in other words, and the brain at work on executive tasks, modes that are more or less binary. "The words in our head can control and direct," writes the author, "but they can also fashion fantasies and dream of other realities." These fantasies can be the province of the potentially less healthy voices in our heads, which are another matter entirely. Fernyhough examines the latest science on inner voice/inner speech, some of which has come from his own lab, and he looks at the history of efforts to understand it in psychological and epistemological contexts. The narrative is straightforward and accumulative, though sometimes his best observations are those made almost in passing, as when he notes that private speech "happens more when there is the illusion of the audience"--i.e., when the person talking is sure to find a receptive listener inside the head. Of rarefied interest, to be sure, but with much to say about how the brain works at the interface of thought and language. COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2016

This book explores the deep intellectual and social roots of the phenomenon of "hearing voices." Fernyhough (psychology, Durham Univ., UK; Pieces of Light) describes the concept of "inner speech" as a specific type of thinking which forms an integral part of the human experience with many beneficial effects. Initial chapters cover the theoretical background of his "Dialogic Thinking" model using an array of sources from philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and other fields. Diverse research findings and applications are discussed including the experiences of children with imaginary friends, novelists and creative artists, sports figures, and religious visionaries, as well as schizophrenics. References reflect the author's own research and experience in the UK but also include international citations. The inherent intellectual difficulties and controversies in this area are acknowledged, although progress in brain-scanning techniques may reinforce the "scientific" nature of inner speech. The author also grapples with stigma issues associated with voice-hearing and the nature of schizophrenia itself. VERDICT This expansive review offers a stimulating blend of theory, research, and insight on inner speech and voice hearing that will complement more prevalent behaviorist and biomedical perspectives. It may best suit readers with a background in psychology/psychiatry literature.--Antoinette Brinkman, formerly with Southwest Indiana Mental Health Ctr. Lib., Evansville

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 1, 2016
Do you think in voices? In text? Pictures? Is it hard to pin down mentally, let alone in words, how your own thoughts flit across your mind's stage? Then imagine how much harder is the task of researcherssuch as Fernyhough, a psychology professor at Durham University, in Englandwho work to pin down the thought patterns of others. Fernyhough's investigations, as well as related work by many others, form the backbone of this title; interspersed among the accessible scientific descriptions are related observations ranging from the reading habits of Saint Augustine to the chatter of the author's toddler. As in the best scientific writing, Fernyhough presents his own viewpoints clearly but also provides readers with an overview of other positions taken in the field. The material can be used with patrons who have various interestssports, child, and workplace psychology, for example. Best of all, the author displays a genuine fascination with his subject, which makes an intricate topic very readable. This sophisticated and appealing work scrutinizes a tangled topic with aplomb and will leave readers permanently observing their own thought processes differently. Perfect for readers of Oliver Sacks and Malcolm Gladwell.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)